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Sports
Sep. 25, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Summers throws weight around in right way

Rather than crow about limited role, Rebels' big tailback instills fear in Utes

By MARK ANDERSON
REVIEW-JOURNAL



Frank Summers
UNLV junior tailback breaks out with three-touchdown game in 27-0 win over Utah



UNLV junior tailback Frank Summers breaks a tackle for a gain in the Rebels' 27-0 victory over Utah on Saturday. Summers rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a scoring pass.
Photo by John Locher.

UNLV running backs coach Reggie Davis met with Frank Summers on Friday, a day before the Rebels played Utah, to make sure his starting tailback was completely on board despite his lack of carries in the first three games.

Summers told Davis he mostly wanted to win, but also wanted a larger role -- even by playing on special teams.

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    • So Summers ran with the kickoff and punt teams, but also ran all over Utah from out of the backfield. He made up for his previous lack of attempts by rushing for 190 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. Summers also caught a 29-yard scoring pass in the Rebels' 27-0 victory.

    On Monday, the junior was named the Mountain West Conference's co-offensive player of the week. Rebels senior linebacker Beau Bell won the defensive award after making 10 tackles, forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass.

    "I felt like I had been let out of a cage," the 240-pound Summers said. "The first few games were kind of rough on me, but I understand football. We couldn't go to the running game like we wanted to and I'd like to. We were trying to win games, and you can't win games running the ball (trailing by) 21."

    Various situations dictated the lack of a ground game that resulted in only 30 carries for 108 yards for Summers in first three games. The Rebels passed to back off Utah State's blitz, to counter Wisconsin's strong run defense, and to try to catch up to Hawaii, which eventually won by 35 points.

    "The good thing about Frank is he is a team guy, and never one time did he even come to me saying he wants the ball more," Davis said. "Never one time did he show in his demeanor that he wasn't happy."

    Davis and head coach Mike Sanford said each game will provide a different scenario, including Saturday's 1 p.m. kickoff at UNR. Sometimes Summers will be asked to carry 25 to 30 times. Other times, quarterback Travis Dixon will have to carry the load.

    There will be games where there is a fairly even mix between the two.

    Against Utah, Summers showed early what kind of game to expect. With 2:01 left in the first quarter, he slammed into three Utes -- including safety Robert Johnson, now out three weeks with a dislocated right shoulder -- and dragged a fourth for a 24-yard gain.

    "It was a huge lift for our team," Sanford said. "We talked about ... setting a tone for the game and being physical."

    In the second quarter, Utah defenders had gone from trying to tackle Summers high to going low.

    "We watched the film today, and we just kind of laughed at all the people that dived at my ankles after a while," Summers said. "People were just throwing themselves in front of me."

    That was the sort of physical presence the Rebels expected of Summers when he transferred from Laney College in Oakland, Calif., where he was a junior college All-American. He began his college career at California.

    Summers said on his 4-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, Utah defensive end Paul Kruger avoided him rather than attempt what could have been a tackle for a loss. Instead, Kruger jumped on Summers after the big back had entered the end zone.

    Sanford said Utah became afraid to tackle Summers.

    "It's very evident on tape," Sanford said. "They were avoiding trying to tackle him, no question in my mind."



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    NVSouthernSucks wrote on September 26, 2007 01:48 PM: I was talking about your quadrouple-chinned running back.


    Ron wrote on September 25, 2007 05:48 PM: NVSouthernSucks, Now thats no way to describe your defense, I thought you said you were a UNR fan?


    NVSouthernSucks wrote on September 25, 2007 04:48 PM: run for that twinkie!


    Ron wrote on September 25, 2007 02:03 PM: I cant argue with that, but UNR is no Hawaii, but dont look for UNLV's defense to roll over for you guys. Yes, Hawaii scored 40 something points on our D, but I feel pretty confident in saying that they will probably score 40 points or more on every team they face this year in the "WHACK". Dont forget that UNLV held Utah State to 16 points ( yeah, I know ) big deal, but then held Wisconsin to 13 points all the way until 2 minutes left in the 4th Qtr and held Utah, who had just scored 44 points on UCLA the previous week to zero points. So dont be so confident that your "O" is going to be able to move the ball at will, because I think Beau Bell and the rest of the boy's might have a thing or 2 to say about that. Beau Bell is probably the best Senior linebacker in the country right now, and if you think I am stretching it a little, then just do a Google search on him. God, you have to love Rivalry Week.


    NVSouthernSucks wrote on September 25, 2007 11:41 AM: Nevada will come out guns blazing and render your fat man attack useless...can't try to run the ball when you're down by 21 and win, ask Nicholls


    Northern Alliance wrote on September 25, 2007 11:05 AM: Hey Ron,

    Our run defense is porous. I can't argue that. But so is Hawaii's and they stifled your running game! Don't be so certain that your fat running back will have a field day. The backs that give Nevada the most problems are quick, scat backs. Frank is just a poor mans Nate Ilaoa.


    Ron wrote on September 25, 2007 09:16 AM: NorthernAlliance, Cute name by the way, but the Tank is going roll over the UNR defenders like an M-1 Abrahms rolling over an Iraqi snow cone machine. UNLV is no Nicholls State and your 2 previous losses have proved that UNR cannot stop a run. Opposing offenses usually run all over you like they had a bad case of diahrea.


    Northern Alliance wrote on September 25, 2007 08:10 AM: Summers should be able to find holes in the Nevada defense but those holes should evaporate quickly. Enter, Josh Mauga. This Fallon product is the best linebacker in the WAC and will punish the overweight Summers early and often. Better hope Dixon can keep his feet under him in a collapsing pocket. I see bad things for UNLV, very bad things.